Big wins await retailers that focus on the first and final hours of seasonal sales

APAC - English

• Indonesia - Bahasa

Criteo research finds that online sales in the opening and closing hours of Singles Day capture over 300% increase in transaction volume across Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE, Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO), the commerce media company, today unveiled key insights from the 2023 Singles' Day sales across Southeast Asia (SEA) and Greater China.

Singles' Day (11/11) presents an enormous opportunity for retailers in these regions to connect with consumers at crucial decision-making moments, build brand loyalty and stand out from the competition. In 2023, online retail transactions in SEA surged 140% compared to the first week of October, and the average basket size increased by 16% compared to the same baseline. In Greater China, online retail transactions grew 237% while the average basket size saw a 6% uptick.

"As the year-end sales season draws near, it's timely to glean past insights to better seize the opportunities that lie ahead," said Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director, Venture Markets, APAC at Criteo. "One thing is clear: such e-commerce events hold tremendous potential and impact for brands and retailers to capitalise on the moment. In providing these datasets, we hope to empower our brand and retail partners to maximise sales opportunities and enhance customer experiences as Singles' Day draws around once more."

Key findings: 

1.    Singles' Day is the largest seasonal sales opportunity for retailers

Across the board, all sales metrics perform higher on Singles' Day – be it online retail transactions, unit sales, and average basket sizes. This marks consumers' willingness to spend during this period, which is widely known for its festive deals, loyalty promotions, and immersive e-commerce experiences.

In Southeast Asia:

• Online retail transactions surged by 140% compared to the first week of October 2023.
  • In comparison, sales on Black Friday 2023 increased 101% from the first four weeks of October 2023.
• Unit sales, which denotes the number of individual items sold, skyrocketed by 178%, compared to 139% in 2022.
  • During Cyber 6 (Black Friday to Cyber Wednesday 2023), sales increased 4% compared to the same period in 2022.
• The average basket size, which indicates the quantity of products purchased per transaction, also saw a notable uptick of 16%, compared to the first week of October 2023.
• The top-performing product categories, based on indexed transactions from the first week of October 2023, comprise Baby & Toddler (+407%), Health & Beauty (+352%) and Furniture (+277%). 
  
  

In Greater China:

• Online retail transactions surged by 237% compared to the first week of October.
  • In comparison, sales on Black Friday 2023 rose 58% from the first four weeks of October 2023.
• Unit sales saw a 257% increase, compared to 248% in 2022.
  • Sales during Cyber 6 (Black Friday to Cyber Wednesday 2023) increase 2% compared to the same period in 2022.
• The average basket size saw an uptick of 6%, compared to the first week of October.
• The top-performing product categories, based on indexed transactions from the first week of October 2023, comprise: Health & Beauty (417%), Home & Garden (326%), Luggage & Bags (311%) and Toys & Games (311%).
• Online transactions saw a 9% Year-on-Year growth on Singles' Day.
  • Interestingly, average order values showed an increase of 14%, with the average unit price going up by 7%.
    
    

2.     Shoppers are prepared to spend the most during the first and last hours of Singles' Day

Shopper activity tends to spike in the first (12AM - 1AM) and last hours (11PM - 12AM) of the day. Early bird shoppers are a segment of shoppers who tend to prepare their shopping baskets ahead of time in anticipation of discounts and offers. These early bird shoppers represent a crucial segment for brands to capitalise on by offering flash discounts or loyalty promotions. Meanwhile, last-minute shoppers tend to seize deals available at the day's final hours – marking a final opportunity to convert buyers who hold out until the very end for a good deal. Savvy retailers that take note of this pattern will leverage their retail media platforms to drive and serve ads in the lead-up to and prior to the closing of these sales events.

• The first hour of Singles' Day (12AM - 1AM) sees the greatest spike in SEA online transactions (+325%) and unit sales (+370%), compared to baseline sales at the start of October.
• This trend is reversed in Greater China, with online transactions (+345%) and unit sales (363%) spiking in the final hour of Singles' Day (11PM - 12AM).

3.      'Tis the season to convert new buyers: conversion rates are exceptionally high during Singles' Day

In the past few years, Singles' Day has consistently recorded substantial spikes in new purchases by new buyers. While the number of new buyers fell in 2023, there is still a clear opportunity to convert new customers and establish lasting customer relationships during this period. Retailers who can build on this momentum of first-time buyers during Singles' Day will also see the chance to ensure continued patronage as the holiday season progresses.

• Singles' Day 2023 saw a whopping 63% increase in new shoppers in SEA compared to the month of October.

Taking action:

Sales events such as Singles' Day are becoming more important for consumers today and represent a growing opportunity for retailers and brands. To realise the true potential of such events, retailers and brands should follow these key learnings for sales season:

1.     Starting Early Matters: with sales events recording much higher-than-average transaction figures, ensuring the relevant media collateral and sales logistics are ready in advance will be helpful to signpost and facilitate consumer purchases. Shoppers tend to plan their purchases in advance, and 47% of consumers globally[1] tend to start their search at retailers rather than search engines, when they know the general type of item they want to buy. As retail media continues to grow with new formats such as offsite and in-store, using retail media allows brands and retailers to engage shoppers further up the funnel, to aid product discovery and boost brand awareness.  Kicking off new campaigns early also ensures campaigns are optimised as shoppers start researching. Brands can also gain a sales boost by expanding their retailer sets to small or medium-size retailers.

2.     Go Full-Funnel: Retail media can help drive positive outcomes during sales events and build lasting customer relationships. Layering sponsored products and offsite campaigns push the needle in capturing new and returning customers during such events and keeping the brand or retail platform top of mind. Keeping in mind that shoppers tend to view several brands before deciding, these tactics also build brand appeal and create a strong impression with shoppers in each stage of their shopping journey.

3.     Be Diligent with Speed: There is increased shopper activity in the first and final hours of these sales events. Savvy retailers and brands drive additional sales by leveraging the data to plan budget accordingly and positioning key advertisements in front of these shoppers in those critical moments.

Methodology

Criteo captures organic data from 20 countries, 600 product categories and over 19,000 advertiser clients. Indexed sales are monitored on retailers who partner with Criteo Marketing Solutions and Criteo Retail Media. Criteo data includes only product categories represented by at least 5 retailers at the most granular level. Organic data means that all events from our clients, including those not attributed to Criteo, are leveraged. This allows us to produce insights regarding the market rather than Criteo campaigns.

About Criteo 

Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO) is the global commerce media company that enables marketers and media owners to drive better commerce outcomes. Its industry leading Commerce Media Platform connects thousands of marketers and media owners to deliver richer consumer experiences from product discovery to purchase. By powering trusted and impactful advertising, Criteo supports an open internet that encourages discovery, innovation, and choice. For more information, please visit www.criteo.com.

Criteo 2023 Holiday Shopping Season Country-Specific Findings 

In Singapore:

• Singles' Day remains the largest seasonal sales opportunity for retailers in Singapore, with online sales skyrocketing +159% on 11/11 compared to the first four weeks of October.
  • In comparison, sales on Black Friday 2023 surged 104%, compared to the first four weeks of October 2023.

In Indonesia

• Singles' Day remains the largest seasonal sales opportunity for retailers in Indonesia, with online sales skyrocketing +194% on 11/11 compared to the first four weeks of October.
  • In comparison, sales on Black Friday 2023 surged 56%, compared to the first four weeks of October 2023.

SOURCE Criteo